Exam under scanner

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Bhubaneswar, March 24: Plus Two science examinees are keeping their fingers crossed for the physics paper, which had been cancelled following reports of question leak and is scheduled for tomorrow. Around 77,700 candidates will appear for the exam from 10am to 1pm at 780 centres across the state.

“It goes without saying that we are anxious about the paper. What if the new set of questions is more difficult? We are going through the same chapters over and over again, but we are still nervous,” said Abhishek, a student.

In the wake of the leak, the state government had drawn a criticism for lax security arrangements and ordered a crime branch probe into the incident.

The chemistry test, scheduled for March 9, was also postponed to March 30 after the question packet was found opened at the Mahalinga Anchalika College of Dharmagarh in Kalahandi. The centre superintendent, Bijay Jena, was arrested and the college derecognised. Soon after, the crime branch arrested Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE), Sambalpur zone, Debendra Behera and chairman of the Sambalpur-based Sandilya College of Science and Commerce, Kartik Chandra Barik and a marketing agent.

However, the council authorities said they were confident of a hassle-free exam tomorrow and that all loose ends had been plugged.

“We are in constant touch with the collectors and police officials of all districts to ensure fool proof arrangements. Observers from district administrations concerned have been deployed to prevent question leak. Round-the-clock security will be maintained at all exam centres till the last paper,” said CHSE chairman Gouri Shankar Ray. He added that the question papers had been dispatched to all exam centres on today.